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E. & A. BUCKMAN Gate.

Patented Jan. .29 1867.

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EDWARD AND ALEXANDER BUCKMAN, OF EAST GREENBUSH, NEW YORK. Letters Patent No. 61,605, dated Januar 29,1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN PAEM GATES.

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To ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that we, BUcKMAN and A. BUCKMAN, both of East Greenbush, in the county of Rensselaer, and State of New York, have invented certain new and ,useful Improvements in Farm Gates; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and: exact description of the same, reference being had to the accordpanying' drawings, making a portion of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is aplan view of a gate constructed according to my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

This invention relates to that class of gates which, while being opened, are made to slide longitudinally for a portion of their length and then turn around upon a vertical axis. The invention consists in so 'constructin g a gate of this descriptionthat it may slide in either direction and turn upon annpright axis at either side of the gateway, as may be desine'd, thus converting it into a right. and left-hand gate capable of being opened in either direction, as cireumstances may require. The invention further consists in certain novelarrangoments ofparts,- whereby the most efiicient operation of this feature of the invention is secured, and wherebythe'gate is rendered capable of being strengthened either with vertical or oblique braces without interfering with the movements thereof in openihg or closing the same.

To enable others to understand the construction and operation of our invention, we will proceed to describe it ,with reference to the drawings. v

The gate is represented at A, and the gate-posts, of which there are two at each end of the gate, are shown at B, each-pair of these posts being situated in a line oblique to the positionof the gate when closed, as shown more clearly in figs. 1 and 2. The two posts constituting each pair are situated at a distance apart suificient to allow the-longitudinal movement of the gate A between them, and also the turningof the same, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and have secured upon their upper ends a cross-piece or cap, a. Suspended fromrthe under side of each of these caps, a, by a vertical bolt or pivot, is a forked swivel, A, and pivoted at the lower end of each of the arms of this swivel upon the inner .side thereof, and one. horizontal axis, isa friction roller, 6. The diameter of ,these friction-rollers at their inner sides is greater than at their outer sides, so that their faces are bevelled, as shown in fig. 3. The gatelA is constructed of longitudinal bars, 0, secured together by uprights, d, the upper ends of which do not' extend quite up to the under side of the horizontal top strip or rail e, in order that a sufiicient spaccmay be left under the lateral edges of the said rail to permit the passage of the same over the friction-rollers b, the aforesaid horizontal rail e being secured longitudinally upon the top of the gate and constituting the guide by which the gate is suspended. The under side of this guide-rail, a, upon each side of the gate, is bevelled, as shown at a, in fig. 3, in order to correspond with the bevelled faces a (hereinbefore described) of the friction-rollers 6, upon which they are supported, as shown more plainly in figs. 2 and 3. Instead of constructing this guide-rail e of a single strip, as just set forth, it may o'onsist of two longitudinal cleats nailed upon opposite sides of the topmost bar 0 at or near theupper edge thereof. The gate is passed longitudinally between the gate-posts B with its opposite ends situated, one between the two posts of the contiguous pair of such posts, as more fully represented in figs. 1 and 2, with the guide-mile resting upon the friction-rollers b, as more clearly indicated .in fig. 2, the gate being thus suspended. from the said rollers. In this position the gate is-closed and prevented from sliding or being moved from slight or accidental causes, as, for instance, the rubbing of cattle against'it, by means of notches or recesses, indicated in dotted iines at b, in fig. 2, and formed in the under surface of the guide-rail e, near the ends thereof, in such a way that when thegate is closed in the manner just hereinde'scribed, the friction-rollers 6 will fit into the afore= said notches or recesses 12' and thus render necessary the exertion of some small degree of force in sliding the gate at the commencement of opening the same. Similar notches b are formed in the under surface of the guide-rail e, or at the middle thereof, the ofliee of the said notches 6" being to steady the gate and keep it from.

sli ping while beingturned apound, as will be presentlyexplained. Situated one upon ach side of the upper nost bar 0, of the gate, is a strap, e',"which is designed to prevent the gate from being moved too far longitulinally in opening the same. In opening the gate it is pushed lengthwise in one direction'or the other, as may be desired, the guide-rail a sliding upon the friction-rollers Z1, connected with the gate-posts toward which the gate is pushed until the said rollers catch in the notches 6", whereupon, the gate being in the position shown in dotted red lines in fig. 1, and nearly balanced upon the said rollers, is swung around into a position nearly or quite at right angles to its position when closed, as shown in red outline in fig. 1, the vertical bolt or pivot of the bracket A, from which it is suspended, turning to permit this turning movement of the gate. In closing the gate it is first swung back into the position indicated in the dotted lines in fig. 1, and then pushed longitudinally back to its first position, the outermost end of the guide E resting upon the friction-rollers b, ofthe bracket A, opposite that upon which the gate has just been turned, as just hereinb efore explained the frictionrollcrs b fitting into the notches or recesses 11, and preventing thelongitudinal movement of the gate from slight accidental causes, as hcreinbefore set forth. In order to prevent the uprights d, especially those near the ends of the gate, from striking the posts 33, as the gate A is passed-between the said posts during its longitudinul movements, inclined planes, 1", formed of suitably shaped blocks of wood, are attached to the lowermost bar, a, thereof, in such manner as to so guide the bottom of the gate during such movements thereof that the aforesaid uprights, d, will belzept clear of the posts B. The bevelled under surface of the guide-rail e, acting upon the bevelled faces of the friction-rollers 6, tends to press the said rollers inward, and thus counteracts the tendency of the arms of the swivels A to be spread apart by the weight of the gate upon the rollersb, at the same time that the gate, being suspended upon the said rollers by the laterally projecting edges of the guide-rail e, any desired variety of braces, either vertical-or oblique, may be employed to strengthen the gate, which would be inadmissible in case the friction-rollers, b, worked underneath one of the longitudinal bars, 0, thereof. Furthermore, as the gate is suspended from the top thereof it is left comparatively free to adjust itself to any change in the position of the posts 13 arising from the heaving of the ground from the effects of frost,

and is consequently less liable to injury from such changes than if the points of suspension were nearer the bottom of the gate. In order to prevent the gate when open from being turned around and partially-closed by the-actionof the wind, or similar accidental causes, an annular washer, m, of India rubber, or equivalent elastic material, is interposed between each of the swivels, A, and the cap or cross-piece d to which it is attached, the swivel being drawn up against the said washer, m, by means of a nut,"n, screwed upon the upper end of its pivot with such a degree of tightness as to produce suflicient friction upon theswivel to prevent it from turning from slight causes, and yet allow it to turn when the gate is swung around by hand as hereinbefore explained.

- What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The arrangement of the posts 13, and swivelled suspending rollers, 12' in relation with each other and with the gate A, whereby the gate may be opened in' either direction, substantially as herein set forth.

2. The guide-rail a, secured at the top of the gate, bevelled upwards and inwards on its under side from both edges, and operating in relation with the tapering friction-rollers b suspended in swivels A, substantially as herein set forth for the purpose specified.

3. The inclined planes-f, arranged with reference to the vertical braces d, and supporting posts B, f a double-acting gate, substantially as herein sct'forth for the purpose specified.

EDWARD BUCKMAN, ALEX. BUCKMAN- Witnesses:

-ABM. MILLER, Pnrnr. G. CLARK. 

